It is Mayinja’s turn to shine
Sep 27, 2007
DESPITE his resounding success, nation-wide recognition has for long eluded Eagles Production singer Ronald Mayinja.<br>
By Gilbert Mwijuke
DESPITE his resounding success, nation-wide recognition has for long eluded Eagles Production singer Ronald Mayinja.
Mayinja’s popularity has only been confined to the central region where he has a legion of fans. And this is one of the reasons he has not been recognised by PAM Awards. However, this is no longer the case.
Today, Ronald Mayinja is a contender for the most coveted musical title in the land—Artiste of The Year — in the Pearl of Africa Music (PAM) Awards, 2007.
Mayinja is also contending for Male Artiste of The Year, Song of The Year (Africa) and Best Live Band Single awards, all thanks to the popular appeal of his latest album, Abalina Sente.
This brings Mayinja’s total nominations to four — the second biggest number of nominations for a single artiste this year. This is a considerable achievement for Mayinja, whose first PAM Awards nomination was only last year despite a musical career that spans a decade.
The secret of Mayinja’s upsurge in musical success is that his music is unsophisticated and laden with issues that affect the common man.
That is probably why the audience is responsive to him. Yet the very simplicity of his music has been his own undoing in other ways.
More so, he was always accused of mimicking Elly Wamala in his heyday. But Mayinja knew why he wanted to sound like the man who prodded him to move into the spotlight.
He recounts how he became a huge fan of Elly Wamala: “I grew up listening to Elly Wamala’s music. My parents were big fans of him and bought every record of his.â€
Mayinja’s amazing voice has not only thrown him to alluring heights of fame, but also money, which can fairly be reflected in his mansion in Konge, plus a sh750m hotel project on Entebbe Road.
Mayinja’s debut album, Sinzooba was recorded in 1996.
However, like most debut efforts, it passed unnoticed. So did his second album, Akamanyiiro, released in 1997.
More so, this was at a time when Mayinja was still juggling music and books at Nakawa College of Commerce (now MUBS).
Upon his graduation, he joined Mesach Semakula, Fred Serugga, Fred Maiso, Geoffrey Lutaaya and Grace Sekamate to form the Eagles Productions Band. With this band, Mayinja soon scored his first hit Claire, which finally propelled him into the limelight, drawing himself a cult following.
After Claire, a catalogue of radio-oriented hits were soon to follow from Mayinja — there was Oli Wamulembe, Kyama Kyo, Deborah, Necklace, Njakulondoola and Doreen. But somewhere along the way, he fell out of favour. His creative juices seemed to have dried up.
But to slip is not to fall. Mayinja soon made a huge comeback with an invigorating effort in Tuli Kubunkenke, a song that skyrocketed him back where he belonged — at the top.
DESPITE his resounding success, nation-wide recognition has for long eluded Eagles Production singer Ronald Mayinja.
Mayinja’s popularity has only been confined to the central region where he has a legion of fans. And this is one of the reasons he has not been recognised by PAM Awards. However, this is no longer the case.
Today, Ronald Mayinja is a contender for the most coveted musical title in the land—Artiste of The Year — in the Pearl of Africa Music (PAM) Awards, 2007.
Mayinja is also contending for Male Artiste of The Year, Song of The Year (Africa) and Best Live Band Single awards, all thanks to the popular appeal of his latest album, Abalina Sente.
This brings Mayinja’s total nominations to four — the second biggest number of nominations for a single artiste this year. This is a considerable achievement for Mayinja, whose first PAM Awards nomination was only last year despite a musical career that spans a decade.
The secret of Mayinja’s upsurge in musical success is that his music is unsophisticated and laden with issues that affect the common man.
That is probably why the audience is responsive to him. Yet the very simplicity of his music has been his own undoing in other ways.
More so, he was always accused of mimicking Elly Wamala in his heyday. But Mayinja knew why he wanted to sound like the man who prodded him to move into the spotlight.
He recounts how he became a huge fan of Elly Wamala: “I grew up listening to Elly Wamala’s music. My parents were big fans of him and bought every record of his.â€
Mayinja’s amazing voice has not only thrown him to alluring heights of fame, but also money, which can fairly be reflected in his mansion in Konge, plus a sh750m hotel project on Entebbe Road.
Mayinja’s debut album, Sinzooba was recorded in 1996.
However, like most debut efforts, it passed unnoticed. So did his second album, Akamanyiiro, released in 1997.
More so, this was at a time when Mayinja was still juggling music and books at Nakawa College of Commerce (now MUBS).
Upon his graduation, he joined Mesach Semakula, Fred Serugga, Fred Maiso, Geoffrey Lutaaya and Grace Sekamate to form the Eagles Productions Band. With this band, Mayinja soon scored his first hit Claire, which finally propelled him into the limelight, drawing himself a cult following.
After Claire, a catalogue of radio-oriented hits were soon to follow from Mayinja — there was Oli Wamulembe, Kyama Kyo, Deborah, Necklace, Njakulondoola and Doreen. But somewhere along the way, he fell out of favour. His creative juices seemed to have dried up.
But to slip is not to fall. Mayinja soon made a huge comeback with an invigorating effort in Tuli Kubunkenke, a song that skyrocketed him back where he belonged — at the top.